The FIFA World Cup is over: Five sports to watch for free this week to fill the void

There were shock results, late winners, penalty shootouts and some of the best players on the planet competing for football’s greatest prize. Now the trophy has been lifted and the tournament is over, supporters could be forgiven for wondering how to fill the gap it has left behind.

Fortunately, the sporting calendar is not slowing down.

From virtual football and seven-a-side chaos to world-class Muay Thai, elite endurance racing and the start of a major horse racing season, there is plenty to watch live and for free on DAZN this week.

Here are five sports worth discovering.

Kings World Cup Clubs

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The FIFA World Cup may have finished, but another global football tournament is only just beginning.

The Kings World Cup Clubs starts on July 26, bringing together leading teams from across the Kings League ecosystem for a week-long international competition.

Created by former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué, Kings League takes the basic ingredients of football and adds a series of unpredictable twists. Matches are played with seven players on each side, while secret weapons, unusual kick-offs and constantly changing rules ensure that no lead ever feels completely safe.

Teams are also led by presidents drawn from football, streaming and online entertainment, helping the competition reach an audience well beyond traditional supporters.

The result is a version of football designed to be quicker, less predictable and relentlessly entertaining. It may look different from the game played at the World Cup, but it still provides goals, rivalries and knockout drama.

DAZN will show all 27 matches of the 2026 Kings World Cup Clubs live and free-to-view in territories including Europe, Canada, Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. The tournament runs from July 26 to August 1.

Esports World Cup

Football fans do not have to wait long for their next taste of international competition.

The third week of the Esports World Cup brings together some of competitive gaming’s biggest tournaments, with action taking place across Teamfight Tactics, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG: Battlegrounds and EA SPORTS FC.

EA FC provides the most obvious bridge for supporters missing the World Cup. The FC Pro World Championship runs from July 22 to July 26, with the world’s best players attempting to prove that they are as composed with a controller as football’s leading stars are with the ball at their feet.

There will also be a familiar face involved before the Finals begin. Former Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema is set to participate in a special EA FC showmatch in Paris on July 26, although his opponent has not yet been revealed.

Away from virtual football, Teamfight Tactics rewards careful planning and adaptability, while PUBG places teams into tense survival battles in which one mistake can end an entire match. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, meanwhile, brings together elite teams from one of the world’s largest mobile esports communities.

Rajadamnern World Series Muay Thai

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Those missing the tension of World Cup knockout football may find an even more immediate form of jeopardy inside Bangkok’s Rajadamnern Stadium.

Rajadamnern World Series, better known as RWS, showcases elite Muay Thai fighters in one of combat sport’s most historic venues. Every contest combines punches, kicks, knees and elbows, meaning a fight can change completely in the space of a single exchange.

RWS has modernised the presentation of traditional Muay Thai without losing the qualities that have made it Thailand’s national sport. The fights are fast, the scoring rewards aggression and every card offers the possibility of a spectacular finish.

It is also easy for newcomers to understand. There are no complicated league tables or lengthy seasons to follow: two fighters enter the ring and attempt to impose their technique, power and will on the other.

The next RWS event takes place at Rajadamnern Stadium on Saturday, July 25, with the action available to watch live and free on DAZN in selected territories.

IRONMAN Pro Series

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The World Cup showcased athletes performing under enormous pressure. The IRONMAN Pro Series asks them to do so while pushing their bodies across swimming, cycling and running.

This week’s event is IRONMAN 70.3 Boise, which takes place in Idaho on Saturday, July 25.

The half-distance format begins with a 1.9km swim before competitors complete a 90km bike course and finish with a 21.1km half marathon. For the leading professionals, every transition and tactical decision can prove decisive across several hours of racing.

The Boise event forms part of the season-long IRONMAN Pro Series, where athletes accumulate points based on their performances at selected races around the world.

It offers a completely different viewing experience from football. Instead of repeated bursts of action, an IRONMAN gradually develops into a battle of pacing, endurance and resilience, with races often decided when exhausted athletes reach the closing stages of the run.

IRONMAN 70.3 Boise takes place on July 25.

Taif Racing Season

For anyone looking for speed, tactics and close finishes, the new Taif Racing Season begins this week.

The Saudi Arabian horse racing campaign opens on Friday, July 24 and continues with a second day of competition on Saturday, July 25.

Held at Taif Racecourse, the season features meetings every Friday and Saturday until September 26. The venue’s altitude and summer conditions help make Taif an important part of the Saudi racing calendar, with leading horses, jockeys and trainers competing across a packed programme.

Horse racing offers the same concentrated drama that made the World Cup’s biggest moments so compelling. Months of preparation can come down to a matter of seconds, while tactical positioning and a perfectly timed late challenge can determine the winner.